Improvement in ore-separators



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ORB SEPARATOR. Np. 112,919. Patented Mar. 21, 1871.

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W. HGOPER. 011B sEPAAT-OR.

No. 112,919. m6111911 Mar. 21, 1871.

www? A l l/fw f. Fna/'Mw A diritti) getint Letters .Patent No. 112,919, dated March 21, 1871; antedated March 10, 1871.

IMPROVEMENT IN ORE-SEPARATORS.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To all 'whom it 'may conce/rn,-

Be it known that I,`W1LLIAM HOPER, of Ticonderoga,- in the county of Essex and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Wet- Ore Separators; and I do hereby declare' the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable those skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, in which drawmg- Figurel represents a longitudinal vertical section of this invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional plan or top view of the same.

Similar letters indicate corresponding parts.

This invention relates to a wet-ore separator or slime-machine, in which the separation of the light and heavy parts is effected by means of a sluiced endless apron, to which the ore is transferred through a mixing-tub, and which apron has an intermittent motion imparted to it'by a ratchet-wheel and pawl. n, Said sluiced apron is strengthened by cross-ribs attached to its under surface, and it passes over rollers having their bearings in a frame or shoe hinged at one end, and provided at the opposite end with adjustingscrews, so that it can be set at any desired inclination.

The shoe is composed of two parts, which are connected by hinge-joints, and each of which is provided with adjusting-screws, so that one part of the apron can be set at a di'ereut inclination from the other part, and thereby the apparatus can be adjusted t0 suit tie nature of the ore or other material to be separate( v Over the sluicedapron, and near its top end, is

placed a water-tank, to which an oscillating motion is imparted; or 1t may be stationary, and plunging-blocks suspended over 1t and made to plunge in it, so that the water'contained therein is splashed out at suitable intervals, and thereby the separation of the ore is materially facilitated.

Under the apron are placed two or more hammers, operated by cam-wheels, and caused to strike against said apron, for the purpose of shaking up the material .lodged thereon.

A perforated pipe, extending across the bottom 0f the apparatus, and provided with holes, serves to throw jets of water against the apron, for the purpose of washing olf such particles of ore as may adhere to the same.

The bottom of the apparatus is roof-shaped, to prevent the light and heavy parts of the ore from mixing after they have been separated.

In the drawinglhe letter A designates a frame, which supports the -working 'parts of my invention.

In the upper part of this frame are secured two cross-beams, a a, from which is suspended the mixing-tub B.

This tub is supplied with ore and water, the ore having been previously reduced to the desired fineness by stamp-mills or other suitable apparatus, and by the action of the agitator C` The mixed ore and water or the slime i's caused to iiow out through the pipes D, which terminate over the sluiced tank E.

This tank E is situated over the endless apron F, and its bottom is provided with a number of diamondshaped projections, b, which serve to distribute the slime uniformly over the surface of the endless apron.

Said apron is divided by longitudinal `strips. c in three (more or less) compartments `or sluices corresponding in width to the compartments of the distributing-tank E, and it (the apron) is strengthened by crossribs d, of wood or other suitable material, secured `to its under or inner surface; and these cross-ribs also prevent the apron from wearing as it moves in its frame and over the rollers. By ditiding the apron in several compartments the operation of separating .the ore is rendered more uniform and the supply of slime to each compartment can be more readily controlled.

The apron is, by preference, made of India rubber, or other material impervious to water, and it is stretched over two rollers, G H, its bottom part being supported by a supplementary roller, I, while its top part rests upon a grate, J, situated between the two rollers G H.

The lower side of the apron sags or hangs loosely between the rollers H and I, which enables the hingejoints f in the shoe K to beopened and shut freely, and also brings the apron in a position to Abe better acted upon by the jets of water from the pipe-w, and

greatly facilitates the operation of washing olf the separated ore adhering to the apron. If the apron was tightly drawn the hinge-joints f could not be opened, and more water would have to he used to wash olf the ore, and thenit would not do it as well.

The rollerH is mounted on a shaft, c, which has its bearings in suitable bones secured to the main frame A, and ou this shaft swing two arms, which, being connected by suitable cross-bars, form the shoe K. v This shoe is made in two parts, which are connected by hinge-joints f, and the roller G has its bearings iu boxes secured to the outer or lower part of the shoe.

Each of the two parts of the shoe is supported by screw-rods g and h, respectively, and by means of these screwrods the inclination of the sluiced apron can be regulated. The lower or outer part 0f the shoe being hinged to the upper part can be brought iu any desired inclination independent of the upper part, and the apron can he so adjusted that its upper surface is am eine either situated in one and the same plane, or thatit forms a ridge or a depression in line with the hingejoints j'. l have effected very satisfactory separation without this hinged joint; but, for ores diiicult to separate, this device greatly facilitates the process, and, in some instances, is indispensable.

0n the end of the shaft e of the upper roller H is mounted a ratchet-wheel, t', to which motionis imparted by a pawl, k,.secured to an arm,'l, which swings position to the compartments or sluices of the apron,

and to which motion is imparted by cam-wheels 'r, mounted on a shaft, s, which has its bearings in the arms of the shoe K. By the action of these hammers the slime situated on the apron is agit-ated and the lighter parts are driven np, so that they will readily separate froln the heavier parts. satisfactory separation without thus agitating lthe ore; but, for ores difncult to separate, this agitation greatly facilitates the process.

Over the roller H is situated a water-tank, L, which is hung on gudgeons having their bearings in boxes secured to the shoe K.

From the tank extends an arm, t, which connects,v by a l'od, (u, with an eccentric, fu, mounted on the shaft p, so that, as this shaft revolves, an oscillating motion is imparted to the water-tank, or thev rod may be connected to plungingblocks suspended-over the tank, and the water contained therein is splashed over the sluiced apron either by oscillations of the tank or by such plunging-blocks, so as to wash ott' the light parts raised by the action of the hammers'g. The apron is at rest when the water is splashed on it, and the moment the splash ceases the apron is moved upward, so that the separated oreadhering to the apron at that point passes out of reach of the next splash.

The bottom M of the apparatus is roof-shaped, as

4shown in h'g. l of the drawing, the ridge of said bottom being situated between the roller Gr and the supplementary roller I; and across said bottom, below the supplementary roller, is situated a water-pipe, rw, perforated with a number of small holes, so. that, if said pipe is supplied with water, under pressure, a number of line jets will be thrown yup against the apron, for the purpose of washing oi any metalliferous particles which may adhere to the same.

The shaft p connects by a bevel-gear with the driving-shaft w, and on the end of the shaft p is mounted a cone-pulley, from which extends a belt to a corresponding cone-pulley, y, which connects by another belt with a pulley, Z, on the end of the hammer-shaft.

rIhe pulley y is mounted loosely on the end of the shaft e, which forms the cent-er of motion ofthe shoe K, so that, in adjusting the shoe up or down, the relation of the two pulleys y and Z is not changed.

By the action of the apron the -heavy parts of the -ore are carried up over the roller H, while the light parts are discharged down over the roller G. In some ores, such as graphite or plumbago, the impurities are heaviest, and pass up over the roller H as tailings, while the particles sought to be saved are lighter, and are consequently carried down the apron over the roller G.- In such cases the valuable particles would he saved at the tail of the machine, where the impurities of other ores usually pass ofi'.

In the treatment of some kinds of ores the surface of the sluices 'on the apron should be plain or smooth.

I have effected very` In the treatment of some other kinds of ores such snrface should be indented, corrugated, roughencd, orrif tied, and in the treatment of still other kinds 4of ores or earths the surface of the apron in the' sluices may becovered or lined with strips of blankets or other suitable woolen fabric or its equivalent. These modifications and appliances will depend on the peculiar character of the ores or substances to be treated, but for most ores and substances required to be separated a plain surface tothe apron between the sluices will be suicient.

This machine may also be used as a picking table and for washing up. ores. This process is sometimes necessary. In such cases those kinds of coarsely-broken ores which are usually picked over by hand will be shoveled or fed onto the machine under the mixing-tub B, and water will be supplied to such tub, and discharged therefrom through tbe pipes D into the sluiced tank E, and thence over the sluiced apron F upon and among such ore The earthy matter and lighter' particles will gently pass off over th tail of the apron. The lower end ofthe apron, below the hinged joint j, can be raised so as to keep all heavy pieces on the apron, and then the intermittent .upward movement of the apron will convey them to the upper end of the machine, where the cleaning process is still further carried on by the water which is splashed out of the oscillating tank L, and then the further upward movement of the apron finally deposits the washed ore upon the roof-shaped bottom M by its own Vgravity and by jets of water projected from the pipe below, as above described. Sometimes it will be best to have one or more persons (usually boys) stand by themachine while in motion to pick out of the washed ore, before it leaves the apron, such lumps of pure ore as may be visible, also lumps of worthless crushers or stampers for further treatment.

For most fine, light ores it will be necessary to elevate the roller G, to prevent any valuable metalliferous particles from passing off with the waste or tailings.

With this machine, and, the dry-ore separator described in the specification annexed to the Letters Patent issued to- 'me by the United States dated March 22, 1870, and in the specification annexed to my application lately made for improvements in that machine, I expect to be able to satisfactorily and profitably separate all kinds of ores now capable of being separated by any known process, either wet or dry; also 4some ores not heretofore successfully separated.

gangue, may be satisfactorily separated by my dryore separator alone, but for many other ores it will be `better to use both machines. For example, if the rock is quartz, containing, say, ten per cent. (more or less) of' argentiferous galena, or of iron or copper pyrites, it should be crushed or stamped sutiiciently quartz, and its comminution should be pushed no further than can be practically avoided. This crushed 60 screen, for the purpose of taking out the ne dust, which will, of course, contain some particles worth saving. through my dry-ore separator, and the fine dust should be treated in my wet-ore separator.

The dry machine generally works best when the fine dust is first taken out of the crushed ore, although some ores do not require this to be done, while the wet machine generally works best on finely-pulverized ore, although some ores can be separated upon it when coarsely broken or granulated.

At some mines the dry machine alone will sufce,

at others the wet machine will be alone sufficient, and at others both will be needed. In many cases the use of both will save much expense in crushing or pulver rock, and then the balance will be conveyed to the Some ores, such as magnetic iron ore, containing a t to disengage the crystals of galena or pyrites from the l ore should be screened with, say, a No. 80 or a No.

The ore thus screened should be passed zing. My wet machine is peculiarly adapted'for the tieatment, more especially, of what are called slime ores,77 while my dry machine is peculiarly adapted for the treatment of ores which do not require to be finely comminuted in order to free the metaliferous particles from the gangue.

Some ores coutai ning gold or silver, and now treated with quicksilver,may be separated on my wet machine, so that the met-al can be saved without employing the process of amalgamation at all; and I propose to use Ait in working over the tailings of such ores produced in mining operations, and containing'precious metals not saved by any other process or processes employed in their treatment.

When water is not accessible for the treatment of an ore or deposit for which my wet separator is adapted, it will often happen that mydry separator can be employed with satisfactory profit, although my wet separator would do the Work more efficiently if water could be had; and in some cases, where water can be had only a portion of the year, my dry separator could be used during the dry season, and :the tailings and screenings,l if they contained valuable par ticles, could be treated in my wet'senarator whenthe wet season returned. my machines are intended to combine all the requisites of a complete process for the separation of orlefslvv capable of being separated and .which it is desirable' to separate; and I have referred to my dry separator in this specification for the purpose of' more clearly showing the novelty and usefulness of my wet-separator, which is the subject of this application.

Thus it will be seen that bothv i What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, vis- 1. The endless apron F, having an intermittent motion imparted to it, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. rlhe endless apron F, with its surface in the sluices indented, corrugated, roughened, or ritled, substantially as described.

3. The arrangement of strips or blanket or other woolen fabric, or its equivalent, on the endless apron F in the sluices, substantially as described.

4. The arrangement of longitudinal strips on the endless apron, substantially as described.

5. The shoe K, divided in two parts, connected by hinge-joints, in combination lwith the adjusting-screws and with the endless apron, substantially as set forth.

6. The agitating-hammers q, in combination with the endless apron, substantially as described.

7. The cross-ribs d, extending over the inner surface of the apron F, substantially as set forth.

8. The tank L, oscillating or with plunging-block, in combination with the endless apron, substantially as described.

9. The roof-shaped bottom M, in combination with the endless apron, substantially as setl forth.

10.*The perforated water-pipe w, extending across V the bottom M, in combination with the endless apron,

substantiallyas described.

WILLIAM HOOPER. Witnesses:

J. B. RAMSAY, J oHN C. BENTON. 

